This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In order to extract hydrocarbons from the earth wells are drilled in surface and subsea locations. However, before production or extraction of hydrocarbons begins, exploratory wells are typically drilled to confirm the presence of hydrocarbons. In a subsea environment, an exploratory drill ship may be used to drill a well to check for hydrocarbons. If oil is discovered, the exploratory drill ship seals the casings in the well until production systems can be deployed to begin extraction. Once the production systems are in place, the productions systems couple to the casing in the well using a connector. The connector links the pipes in the well with a production string (e.g., pipes or casings coupled to a rig) that carries the hydrocarbons out of the well. In order to block hydrocarbons from escaping, the connector is secured and sealed between the casing in the well and the production string (e.g., pipes coupled to a rig).